LA: AG OUTREACH 2010 IN FULL SWING

News Date March 09, 2010

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., says he has hosted two open houses in north Louisiana and is very pleased with the turnout.

“We’ve had Ag Outreach sessions in Monroe and Haughton and the response has been great,” Strain said. “The public is interested in the mission of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) and we welcome their questions and input.”

Strain said the open houses, dubbed Ag Outreach 2010, are designed to educate the public and decision makers on the needs of agriculture and rural economic development and how the LDAF can play a role in addressing those needs.

 “Louisiana agriculture and forestry combined is a $30 billion a year business and considered one of the largest industries in the state,” Strain said. “We must be poised to take advantage of the demand for food and fiber that could double in the next 30 years. Louisiana has the resources in land and water to be at the forefront of the upcoming agricultural boom.”

Visual displays from each of the LDAF offices are set up at the meeting places and experts from each division are on hand to answer the public’s questions, Strain said.

“The LDAF is charged not only with protecting the state’s agricultural and forestry sector, but also a whole slate of consumer interests,” Strain said. “We have 34 weights and measures inspectors that check every one of the 64,000 retail gas pumps to make sure consumers are getting what they pay for.”

“We also check the accuracy of every commercial scale and grocery scanner in our supermarkets that add up your food bill. We regulate the pesticide and structural pest control industries.”

At the Ag Outreach session in Haughton, Skip Grillot, a logger from Springhill, asked Strain about improving marketing in the forestry sector.

“Right now, wood products are being looked at for use in the bio-fuels market,” Strain said. “We’re a green state. We’re producing agricultural and forestry products throughout the year and it will be extremely important to pursue economic development for our timber landowners and loggers in the renewable energy field.”

Leigh Lepinski, a quarterhorse and thoroughbred breeder from Shreveport was inquiring about fertilizing her equine pastures and received the information she needed at the open house.

Strain took the opportunity to recognize Daniel McFarland, an 11th grader from Caddo Parish Magnet High School.

McFarland, 17, was the recipient of the 2009 USA Rice Federation Scholarship grand prize. McFarland, of Keithville, earned a $4,000 scholarship for his “Rice… Anytime, Anyone, Anywhere” project. (Contact: Contact: Sam Irwin, 225-922-1256)